Since they’re at least in season 2 by now, here’s a fun fact: Asami was originally planned to be a villain, but the writers liked her so much that they changed her role to be on Team Avatar. She’s also voiced by M. Night’s live action Yue.
I like the fact that, if we're going by season 1 of LOK alone, we don't really know if Amon's ability to take away a person's bending would impact the Avatar cycle. Maybe it would end the Avatar for good, maybe it wouldn't. But he's so menacing and imposing that it doesn't matter. All we know is that this guy is a problem (and that is BEFORE the coldest line in all of Avatar is delivered)
I love Tenzin so much. He is a truly wholesome adult. The scene at the end of episode 3 is perfect. From his vast knowledge of bending, he *knows* it's impossible for anyone other than the Avatar to remove someone's bending, but all Korra has to say is that she saw it happen, and he immediately changes his way of thinking. He doesn't know how Amon did it, but he trusts Korra enough to believe her. That flexibility and willingness to adapt to new information shows true wisdom; it's how we should all behave. Tenzin is the best character in the entire franchise.
I don't think the non-benders are really shown to be "oppressed" by benders, but most of the crime we see is committed by benders and most non-benders are completely defenseless against bending. So it just puts non-benders in a situation of feeling powerless and afraid all the time, which is what makes them so receptive to the equalist ideals. Bending kind of inherently makes the Avatar world unequal so long as there are those who can and those who can't.
Let's not forget, back in atla even though Sokka was fairly capable he was often looked down on for not being a bender and had crappy comments made about him a couple times. While it wasn't full scale systemic oppression and not toward EVERY nonbender (no one would accuse ty lee or mai of being useless), the idea that he was less useful to the group and less important overall was something I noticed a lot. I figure he's probably not the only one in history to have been made to feel that way.
@warband2272 I don't see that honestly. If anything, in LoK the modernizations seem made to include bending wherever possible, like the power plants and metal bending police force.
When you factor in that the richest people in the world are non bender industrialists, the idea that benders are somehow a threat to non benders to me becomes a very clear analogue to racist hysteria.
16:06 I wouldn't say the legend of korra went "technologically quicker" than our world did. Assuming ATLA takes place in the 1800s and korra takes place in the 1920s (based on the music and everything) the technology thing is pretty accurate. Our world also witnessed a surge in new technologies in a short period in the 20th century.
Came here to see if someone else was commenting on that. It's been around 60 years or so, the fire nation was already well into industrialization and the invasion alliance also made notable advances utilizing water and earth bending, technology can change fast, especially once you cross that threshold. Also social organization doesn't really have a causal relationship to technological innovation.
Yeah, the Industrial Revolution was 60-80 years long, and Korra takes place 70 years after Last Airbender. Plenty of time to get to this level of tech.
The face stealer doesn't give faces. Only takes. However, the mother of faces can give someone a new face and is particularly sympathetic to victims of the face stealer.
My favorite thing about this series is that each villain (even minor ones) represents something positive, but how it can become evil if taken to far or "thrown out of balance" indirectly referencing the importance of the Avatar even in a time of what could be considered global peace between the 4 nations.
About the technology difference, AtLA had a giant drill and zeppelins, and this takes place about 70 years later. Is it that weird that the current tech level is equivalent to the 30's?
One of my favorite distinctions between the chi blockers and what Ty Lee did is Ty Lee was able to block the bending AND paralyze the person. She was far more skilled and I like how they kept that clear
The "dark villain girl" trope they mention here is the "femme fatale" which is a really interesting trope that's been around for quite a while. They usually have dark hair, to contrast with the morally pure love interest if there is one.
This is from the original show, but the Bender to non-bender ratio varied between the four nations and was tied to spirituality, the more spiritual the nation, the more benders. The Earth Kindgom, for instance, had the largest population, but the least amount of benders, while the Air Nomads had the lowest population, but were all benders.
20:51 Seeing that you guys have stated that you are in S4 on the first LoK video then I can say this: Asami was originally going to be revealed to be a villain but the crew liked her too much so they just scrapped that idea entirely
I think if they knew that they'd get four seasons, they probably would have stuck with the plan of her being an Equalist and then had her reform in the later seasons. That could have been really nice.
The best way I've ever heard it put is that Aang is a coming of age story that focuses on stepping into the roles that are actually meant for you. Korras story is about young adults stepping into and coping with the harsh reality that not everything will go your way, and sometimes you just have to either adapt or die. Enjoying the content as always, can't wait till you guys get deeper in the story!
Something to keep in mind with the inequality between benders and nonbenders is that it isn’t just economic, thought that’s a big part of it, it’s also about violence and politics. While the triads can be dismissed as just criminals they’re still criminals with LITERAL SUPERPOWERS that the vast majority of people can’t even begin to stand up to. At least if a nonbender criminal tries to extort a nonbender they’re on roughly even terms. As for politics, the ruling council of Republic City consists of representatives from the Northern Water Tribe, Southern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and the Air Nomads and a bender from those countries is far more likely to be chosen than a nonbender. Think about that, if you’re a nonbender born in Republic City you have literally no representation in your government. Hell, there are only four living air genders and they have more representation and power than the vast majority of citizens!
I just realised something (after watching this Show for the 12th time) Everyone else is still in Winter Clothing while Korra runs around shoulderfree. To her it must be cozy down there in the earth Kingdom.
@@amandasnider2644 No, it's not. Zuko's the only firebender who's still able to firebend in the coolers at the Boiling Rock, so it's presumably either uncommon, or difficult.
Benders opressing nonbenders: I know they haven't shown much in LoK but in the first episode the Triad were robbing an old man before she fought them off. And in ATLA the team came across nonbenders being oppressed by benders in almost every town. Benders would use their power to intimidate, threaten, rob, and rule over nonbenders.
And to add, the entire council is benders, the police is benders. All positions of power are taken by benders making laws and enforcing them over non-benders who have no say. The show really should have spent a little more time showing that, but if you really look at it you do see that non-benders have no say in their own country/city.
If you remember the first episode Korra asked the street food vendor for one of everything. She gave the price of 10 Yuans. Relative to our world we could expect that with 4-6 types of food on a street food stall that it would equate to roughly 1 Yuan = 1 USD. Therefore its like $30,000 to enter the tournament not like $300. The $30k figure would also make sense given the size of the arena and the sport being played. This is the avatar equivalent of Football in our world. Its a major industry.
2:50 So... he produces the electricity, goes home, then pays to use his own bending electricity? Sounds exactly how the Government would function. 10/10 realism.
I know that pedestrians have the right of way, but Mako came running out in front of a parked truck, and then was like how could you not see me. Dude you ran out in front of me without looking.
I'm so glad that you guys are enjoying Legend of Korra! I've seen a lot of AtLA fans hating on this show because it's "not as good as the original", but I really love LoK and think it stands on its own merits. So I'm really happy to see you guys really digging into it and having fun watching it!
I hope you guys take to heart in this first season that this was originally a one-off. It was meant to be a limited series, but the show got so popular they ended up continuing it
It's still crazy to me that Seychelle Gabriel, Asami's VA, originally played Yue in the live action Last Airbender movie. Talk about a turnaround, and one I am thankful the actress got. Also, if you wanna compared Asami with someone, how about Lust from FMA? I was cautious of Asami for a while for that very reason. Those two are so aesthetically similar.
29:31 the sad with Asami is that she is too nice, thats why she is suspicious in the first impression, like, no one is nice like her, always have something. That, and her "bad girl style" but Assami is different ;)
Original Korra was supposed to be 1 season but after korra did well that's when Nickelodeon Greenlit 2 than 3 and 4 incense it was on the inconsistent schedule for how much they had to work
If you think about it, there was advanced steam power, ironclad ships, airships, and submarines at the end of the Hundred Year War. Going from that to the technology seen in Legend of Korra in about seventy years isn't at all implausible.
I know they’re probably countless episodes ahead on Patreon, but I hope that when it comes to the council of who runs Republic city, they come to the realization that not a single person on that council, the council that that makes the decisions for all of the people of Republic city, not a single representative is a non-bender. (that would be like living in a world where women and minorities protest that they’re being systematically oppressed, and then a council of predominantly old white men tell you you’re not and proceeded to make your decisions for you.🤷🏻♀️)
real. I never actually thought that much about the oppression non benders might face because I felt like it was never explicitly shown. But all these subtle details are actually creating an amazing subtext to the story.
@@somuchsoul3041 Unfortunately, the conflict between non-benders and benders is still never properly shown in this season and that weakens Amon as a villain and character. Small subtext like the council being benders isn't enough since you can't just assume they are oppressive since we also haven't seen that in the beginning of the season.
(I think that despite how far ahead you are this is still spoilers) "I don't think her and Korra - I mean him and Korra-" what a legendary slip. the gift of prophecy.
21:15 “This is moving incredibly quick, and not just from a bow-chicka-wow-wow perspective.” That’s probably a feeling y’all had with this entire season. It’s because this was supposed to be a one-season mini series when it first released. The writers told what they thought would be a complete 10-episode mini story, then it got approved for further seasons and suddenly they had to shit out more story lol.
The love triangle is great, don’t know why everyone gets in a twist about it. It’s hilarious, it shows a lot about the characters, it covers completely different ground than TLA in how these are teenagers trying to live normal lives, it’s just great. I mean, if the show “treats it seriously” why is it so funny? The audience isn’t supposed to sit there like “Oh, riveting drama”, they’re supposed to be entertained.
@@celestinebuendiaBecause it was a tired trope even back in 2012. Three people of different sexes can have shared conflict with each other without manufacturing some contrived love drama.
To be fair, the fire nation did invent motor, hot air balloon, and other stuff like that so...the technology didn't grew that faster than us...they have 'magic' to help them
If they would have taken the time spent on the love triangle and put it into showing why the Equalists felt oppressed, maybe giving us the backstory for Amon's Lieutenant, and giving us more reason to care about Naga/Pabu, this could've been one of the best single season's of any show I've seen.
16:27 Homing pigeons are still used, and were pretty prominent in World War I. Its kinda tough to see since they dont use guns, but the Fire Nation was at like an 1860s level of technology, especially when including the Mechanist's inventions
A good example is how the Fire Nation uses 19th century Ironclad ships equipped with 14th century trebuchets, it's just that they haven't invented gunpowder
Will probably address it at some point but the biggest example of "bender oppression of non benders" currently within the story (non-spoilery) is that the ruling council is made up exclusively of benders. There is no voice for non benders in leadership of Republic City.
16:12 The Fire Nation actually had some rather advanced stuff for the time. The tanks, for example. I'd assume the cars would simply be an advancement on that tech.
Korra is different good. I was SO hesitant to watch Korra because I literally grew up on ATLA and I just didn't want a continuation of the story to „ruin“ my nostalgia and ruin this amazing story but during lockdown one of my friends finally convinced me and I really really enjoyed Korra as well. As you said people just compare it and their expectations way too much to the original and that will for sure ruin your experience of the show in a similar way on how you talked about the One Piece Live Action (that I appreciate even more now that I've started the anime, they definitely nailed it because even tho it's different it's still the same essentially). Season 1 of Korra definitely is my favorite out of the 4 with season 2 being the weakest for me personally and 3 and 4 sharing 2nd place but it's overall a great show that has that spark of nostalgia but still manages to be its very own, innovative thing and progressing the story of ATLA in a logical way
Technology didn't actually escalate that much. During The Last Airbender, the Fire Nation already had an industrial economy. If you look at the things the Fire Nation had, they were in the 1840s to 1860s, tech-wise. Korra takes place 60 to 80 years after ATLA, which, in the real world, would be 1900s to 1940s. Even in the real world, in 1860, only Western Europe was industrialized and the rest of the world looked pretty much like it's looked 200 years prior.
@@TheLyokoWarriorstbf he was snatched there by a spirit. I think the assumption was that only a bender can get themselves there which also is kind of a wild claim but makes a bit more sense. It's not like normal folk can just get there at the current point besides rare circumstances like iroh and just dying and ending up there.
Normal people can’t go to the spirit world nor can regular benders at least not without a bridge of some sort like the panda that took sokka. The avatar is the link between the spirit and real world which is why he can go in and out as he pleases.
@@spazzout1k350 he could see things from the spirit world and I think they said he’s been there but it wasn’t stated how. Me personally I believe something took him there like in the case with sokka.
23:40sokka and the villagers in atla in the episode that they got taken by the Hai Bai *(idk how to spell it)* panda spirit. Anyone, benders, non benders, animals, anyone can go into the spirit realm in some way.
“But he’s not wrong though,” is going to be a common theme with the villains in this series. LoK has more reasonable villains than any other animated series.
If you want to know about the arrows on certain Airbenders. The arrows means that they have mastered Airbending which is why you see Aang or Tenzin with one. Aang was the youngest Airbender. But there is comic's that tie in between Aang and Korra. And honestly I'm surprised you guys haven't figured out Naga's name..Naga Aang.
Amon really said "you think I'm stupid I'm not going to come here alone, fuck honor I'm trying to do something here" and regardless of his motives and what his political movement was trying to do, he's right, like if I'm the leader of some sort of revolution and the dictator says "1v1 me pussy" I'm 100% pulling up with the hommies
@@colt1903From what I’ve read online, it’s mostly due to Nickelodeon fucking up the show’s marketing and tv schedule, so the show’s rating wasn’t as good as Last Airbender and it caused Korra to get pulled from the air mid-season 3 and season 4 was released entirely online :( I think the most infamous example was the show getting a budget cut somewhere in season 3 or 4, forcing one recap episode to be essentially a replay of clips because the show’s creators didn’t want to cut down on staff
@@midnightmorpher9066 don't forget they first told them they had 1 seasons, so they wrote season 1 to be self contained and only then were told to make 3 more, so 2 is in this awkward position of trying to come after, before they get back into a long form stride with s3+4. Plus before getting pulled completely didn't they shift the timeslot around a bit?
I'm so glad that you guys are watching this with an open mind and letting it be KORRA'S story and not the continuation of Aang's story! So excited for you guys who read about the other Avatar's in the comics because you start to appreciate each and single one for who they were with their virtues and flaws like every human being has the right to have! It's like who knew Zuko would end up being the Vegeta of Avatar, the last Airbender!
Paused at 37:43, just want to say, Ruff I know exactly what you’re talking about with the “female villain look” that a ton of characters had around the time, and still do in some respects.
Fun fact (if nobody's shared it yet), the voice actor of Korra is also the voice of Keyleth's mom in Vox Machina. Marisha had said that Keyleth was inspired by Avatar.
I wouldn't say tech has moved faster than ours I mean people tend to forget that the fire nation was industrial age and after the war ended I think we can assume they shared tech and stuff exploded from there. Also we can assume they have been in the industrial age for a while in atla because they show the steam ships when they talk about the war starting 100 years prior to the start of atla. So I'd say during the time of peace they moved into the machine age (and actually considering they made moving tanks and airships/blimps one could argue that in the show they were already progressing into the machine age) and during this time tech and everything exploded. (things may have moved a bit faster in korra but not by much given how fast tech progressed in our time as well.)
I would say is definitely one of the strongest villains in the Avatar verse and could take almost anybody else except the Avatar in the Avatar State. The only reason Korra defeated him is by exposing him so he ran away and his brother killed both of them.
I just realixed that Lightning Bolt Zolt had the EXACT same reaction to his bending being taken as Ozai did. The failed bending punch, then a "wha- what did you do to me?"
Everyone says they advanced fast, I don't think they did. Think about it. At the end of the 100 year war they had tanks and blimps, and ships. That's pretty much like WW1 and now we are in a kind of steam punk 30s in real life that was only a 20-30 year difference. In the show it's 70years
The bending/non bending is obviously a commentary on racial relations, but I think of it in the same way as gun rights to an extent. You have a specific set of people with the ability to cause physical harm to others with relative ease and you have a group that does not have this innate ability to defend themselves. That latter group has to learn specific weapons or hand to hand combat to stand a chance, and they can, but it takes work compared to a guy that can shoot fire at his whim. This would be like determining when you are born if you have the right to own a gun or not. And this was actually a part of why the second amendment was put in place. Monarchies could pick and choose who had access to guns, and as such only people who were loyal to the monarchy had any, thus depriving others of the ability to defend themselves. Obviously in this world it's much more nuanced than that because these are literally innate abilities that are more or less the result of luck. But I really appreciate this show taking a look at it
I like how in these episodes, they accused two people of being a villain, and they twist expectations and make them good dudes (or in tarloks case, an ok dude)
Geez, I forgot how much I love Steve Blum as Amon. I forgot how much I love Amon in general. God, I wish these seasons were longer, or that they didn't need to worry about whether there'd be a next season as they were making the episodes.
"If you get butthurt about somebody jokingly shipping a character, even seriously shipping a character in a fictional story - a cartoon - go to therapy." I think you just became my favorite reaction channel.
Kora suffered from people blinded by nostalgia kora by its self is really good. Theres only a few issues i personally have with it but over àll its pretty good. Most people who hate it hate it because shes not aang
Fun facts: *Amon is voiced by Steve Blum, famous for roles such as Cowboy Bebop's Spike Spiegel, Ben 10's Vilgax and Toonami's TOM. He also voices a minor character in Book 4. *Asami is voiced by Seychelle Gabriel, who played Yue in The Last Airbender movie and originally auditioned to be Katara (LA) and Korra (TLOK) respectively. Asami is also her first VA role. *Tarrlok is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, famous for his animal roles such as Appa, Momo, Oogi, Pabu & Naga in the Avatar series. *Hiroshi Sato is voiced by Daniel Dae Kim, who voiced General Fong in ATLA & who'll play Ozai in the upcoming live action ATLA. *The Revelation fliers that reveal the rally's location were inspired by Bryan's participation in rave cultures while in university. *Originally Hasook (the Fire Ferret's last Waterbender) was going to be captured by Amon's henchmen, with the brothers & Korra going to save him. Bolin later replaced him in the story. *Amon's evasive maneuvers against Lightning Bolt Zolt resemble the weaving patterns of the Camelephant strut which Aaang performed in The Headband. *The scene where Mako gets hit by Asami's moped mimics similar scenes found in FLCL, one of Bryan and Mike's biggest inspirations for ATLA. Similarly, Mako's appearance when he's getting dressed up for his date with Asami is similar to Roger Smith from Big-O. *The scene with Korra firebending at chi-blockers on Aang Memorial Island in The Voice in the Night (which is also a book title used by William Hope Hodgson in 1907 & is also similar to a Metal Gear song) was based on an unused ATLA concept. In it, Aang & Zuko would've fought in complete darkness, with the characters & surroundings only being lit up by Zuko's firebending. *Korra's concept art can be seen on the banners during Tarrlok's party. *Korra & Mako's bickering & tension in E3 deliberately harken back to romantic relationships found in 1940s era films. *E4 had the second highest number of views for Book 1 at 4.08M.
You underestimate how technology can progress. In Avatar it was just the southern water Tribe that was just a little 'tribe' separated from everyone. The North had a huge city, and the Earth kingdom had lots of towns and the Fire Nation was the most advanced. The Last Airbender started with having Fire Nation Tanks in Season 1 and ending in Zepplins at the end of the show. 70 years after that and I can see them toning down the tanks and making them cars instead, and eventually developing Radio over the seven decades of progress.
I heard that nations with a higher spirituality have a higher percentage of bender. The earth kingdom has the lowest percentage while airbenders are almost all benders because of how spiritual they are.
honestly knowing as a highschooler how quick it is for most of us to just meet someone and explain circumstances over free food, I 100% AGREE with how Mako has been reacting to Asami and her family. He and his brother have lived in poverty with him having to be a parent for Bolin before he reached double digits. He had to struggle, fight, and work for years and suddenly some hot lady his age wants to help with a crap ton of money??? At that point even I wouldn't care I'll take that deal
There was a theory that because Tai Lee joined the Kyoshi warriors at the end of ATLA, that combination of chi blocking and non-bending warriors started the longterm future empowerment of non-benders to confront benders, eventually leading to this non-bending group using chi blocking against benders. Its assumed Tai Lee may have also been the first Kyoshi warrior to not be native to the earth kingdom, symbolizing the unity of the nations but also the separation between bedners and non-benders.
Aang had his immature moments like any kid, but he was taught some wisdom since young age thanks to living with and as a monk. Meanwhile Korra has defined her entire identity by being powerful.
I couldn't comment on the first Korra reaction video, but one of you pointed out that Republic City looks like 1920s New York City. You're not wrong! Recently, the creators of the show said that they modeled Republic City to look like a combination of 1920s New York City and Shanghai!
Its neat. The last airbender was about breaking a state, and this one’s more on the corruption of building a new one I mean the white lotus literally built a vatican city for the avatar
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
One of the things I always loved about Tenzin is that he tries so hard to emulate his father but he clearly has his mother's temper.
haha true
Since they’re at least in season 2 by now, here’s a fun fact: Asami was originally planned to be a villain, but the writers liked her so much that they changed her role to be on Team Avatar. She’s also voiced by M. Night’s live action Yue.
i actually think they’re on book 4 already! so you’re definitely all good haha
actually, they finished the show already
They said they are on book 4
At least the poor woman got to portray a character in a show that wasn't memory holed, plus no dick hair scene, like how did that happen.
@@willowarkan2263 she was the only good thing on that movie to be honest
Amon is probably the scariest villain on LOK imo. That bone-chilling voice provided by Steve Blum really added onto his sinister character.
It is Steve Blum, so obviously it sounds menacing.
I like the fact that, if we're going by season 1 of LOK alone, we don't really know if Amon's ability to take away a person's bending would impact the Avatar cycle. Maybe it would end the Avatar for good, maybe it wouldn't. But he's so menacing and imposing that it doesn't matter. All we know is that this guy is a problem (and that is BEFORE the coldest line in all of Avatar is delivered)
@@pabloc8808 Coldest line? Do you mean "That platypus bear is pooping money!"
@@MWSin1 Naturally
41:00 season 2 🗑
Season3/4 👍🏾
I love Tenzin so much. He is a truly wholesome adult. The scene at the end of episode 3 is perfect. From his vast knowledge of bending, he *knows* it's impossible for anyone other than the Avatar to remove someone's bending, but all Korra has to say is that she saw it happen, and he immediately changes his way of thinking. He doesn't know how Amon did it, but he trusts Korra enough to believe her. That flexibility and willingness to adapt to new information shows true wisdom; it's how we should all behave. Tenzin is the best character in the entire franchise.
Iroh: *sips tea*🤨
Considering how threatening Ty Lee could be in ATLA, a small army of faceless chi blockers is terrifying
I don't think the non-benders are really shown to be "oppressed" by benders, but most of the crime we see is committed by benders and most non-benders are completely defenseless against bending. So it just puts non-benders in a situation of feeling powerless and afraid all the time, which is what makes them so receptive to the equalist ideals. Bending kind of inherently makes the Avatar world unequal so long as there are those who can and those who can't.
There is also political issues that they'll get into later on.
Let's not forget, back in atla even though Sokka was fairly capable he was often looked down on for not being a bender and had crappy comments made about him a couple times. While it wasn't full scale systemic oppression and not toward EVERY nonbender (no one would accuse ty lee or mai of being useless), the idea that he was less useful to the group and less important overall was something I noticed a lot. I figure he's probably not the only one in history to have been made to feel that way.
Non-benders are not represented in the city council if I remember correctly
@warband2272 I don't see that honestly. If anything, in LoK the modernizations seem made to include bending wherever possible, like the power plants and metal bending police force.
When you factor in that the richest people in the world are non bender industrialists, the idea that benders are somehow a threat to non benders to me becomes a very clear analogue to racist hysteria.
16:06 I wouldn't say the legend of korra went "technologically quicker" than our world did. Assuming ATLA takes place in the 1800s and korra takes place in the 1920s (based on the music and everything) the technology thing is pretty accurate. Our world also witnessed a surge in new technologies in a short period in the 20th century.
Came here to see if someone else was commenting on that. It's been around 60 years or so, the fire nation was already well into industrialization and the invasion alliance also made notable advances utilizing water and earth bending, technology can change fast, especially once you cross that threshold. Also social organization doesn't really have a causal relationship to technological innovation.
Yeah, the Industrial Revolution was 60-80 years long, and Korra takes place 70 years after Last Airbender. Plenty of time to get to this level of tech.
I know it’s a nitpick but why do they call him Ayymon😂
Honestly our technological advancement in such a short period is crazy
The face stealer doesn't give faces. Only takes. However, the mother of faces can give someone a new face and is particularly sympathetic to victims of the face stealer.
A mom cleaning up after their son.
But how did she get the faces though? Did she make it herself or....
@@Kyss111 She literally makes them.
@@hunterackerman1697 Bassically.
@@transyuri4534 It's literal. She mentions she's his mom.
My favorite thing about this series is that each villain (even minor ones) represents something positive, but how it can become evil if taken to far or "thrown out of balance" indirectly referencing the importance of the Avatar even in a time of what could be considered global peace between the 4 nations.
About the technology difference, AtLA had a giant drill and zeppelins, and this takes place about 70 years later. Is it that weird that the current tech level is equivalent to the 30's?
One of my favorite distinctions between the chi blockers and what Ty Lee did is Ty Lee was able to block the bending AND paralyze the person. She was far more skilled and I like how they kept that clear
The "dark villain girl" trope they mention here is the "femme fatale" which is a really interesting trope that's been around for quite a while. They usually have dark hair, to contrast with the morally pure love interest if there is one.
This is from the original show, but the Bender to non-bender ratio varied between the four nations and was tied to spirituality, the more spiritual the nation, the more benders. The Earth Kindgom, for instance, had the largest population, but the least amount of benders, while the Air Nomads had the lowest population, but were all benders.
20:51 Seeing that you guys have stated that you are in S4 on the first LoK video then I can say this:
Asami was originally going to be revealed to be a villain but the crew liked her too much so they just scrapped that idea entirely
I think if they knew that they'd get four seasons, they probably would have stuck with the plan of her being an Equalist and then had her reform in the later seasons. That could have been really nice.
@@Celestia282she could have been the Zuko of this show.
@@justinehercthehuman The Azula we never got😂
I found the slip up of "her and Korra" when they talked about the love triangle absolutely hilarious
The best way I've ever heard it put is that Aang is a coming of age story that focuses on stepping into the roles that are actually meant for you. Korras story is about young adults stepping into and coping with the harsh reality that not everything will go your way, and sometimes you just have to either adapt or die. Enjoying the content as always, can't wait till you guys get deeper in the story!
3:14 And at that moment, Korra attained Big Sister status with Ikki and Jinora 😂 "Begona ya twerps!"
Something to keep in mind with the inequality between benders and nonbenders is that it isn’t just economic, thought that’s a big part of it, it’s also about violence and politics.
While the triads can be dismissed as just criminals they’re still criminals with LITERAL SUPERPOWERS that the vast majority of people can’t even begin to stand up to. At least if a nonbender criminal tries to extort a nonbender they’re on roughly even terms.
As for politics, the ruling council of Republic City consists of representatives from the Northern Water Tribe, Southern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and the Air Nomads and a bender from those countries is far more likely to be chosen than a nonbender.
Think about that, if you’re a nonbender born in Republic City you have literally no representation in your government. Hell, there are only four living air genders and they have more representation and power than the vast majority of citizens!
I just realised something (after watching this Show for the 12th time)
Everyone else is still in Winter Clothing while Korra runs around shoulderfree. To her it must be cozy down there in the earth Kingdom.
Up there*. Korra is from the South Pole.
She’s also a fire bender and can regulate her inner body temperature presumably
@@b3yourself91thought air benders could do that too
@@spazzout1k350 at this point Korra couldn’t airbend though
@@amandasnider2644 No, it's not. Zuko's the only firebender who's still able to firebend in the coolers at the Boiling Rock, so it's presumably either uncommon, or difficult.
Benders opressing nonbenders:
I know they haven't shown much in LoK but in the first episode the Triad were robbing an old man before she fought them off. And in ATLA the team came across nonbenders being oppressed by benders in almost every town. Benders would use their power to intimidate, threaten, rob, and rule over nonbenders.
And to add, the entire council is benders, the police is benders. All positions of power are taken by benders making laws and enforcing them over non-benders who have no say. The show really should have spent a little more time showing that, but if you really look at it you do see that non-benders have no say in their own country/city.
If you remember the first episode Korra asked the street food vendor for one of everything. She gave the price of 10 Yuans. Relative to our world we could expect that with 4-6 types of food on a street food stall that it would equate to roughly 1 Yuan = 1 USD. Therefore its like $30,000 to enter the tournament not like $300. The $30k figure would also make sense given the size of the arena and the sport being played. This is the avatar equivalent of Football in our world. Its a major industry.
2:50 So... he produces the electricity, goes home, then pays to use his own bending electricity?
Sounds exactly how the Government would function. 10/10 realism.
I know that pedestrians have the right of way, but Mako came running out in front of a parked truck, and then was like how could you not see me. Dude you ran out in front of me without looking.
if we assume the creators used the Chinese Yuan as the real life analogue, then 30,000 Yuan are roughly 4,000 USD.
Amon is an absolute menace
I'm so glad that you guys are enjoying Legend of Korra! I've seen a lot of AtLA fans hating on this show because it's "not as good as the original", but I really love LoK and think it stands on its own merits. So I'm really happy to see you guys really digging into it and having fun watching it!
I hope you guys take to heart in this first season that this was originally a one-off. It was meant to be a limited series, but the show got so popular they ended up continuing it
It's still crazy to me that Seychelle Gabriel, Asami's VA, originally played Yue in the live action Last Airbender movie. Talk about a turnaround, and one I am thankful the actress got.
Also, if you wanna compared Asami with someone, how about Lust from FMA? I was cautious of Asami for a while for that very reason. Those two are so aesthetically similar.
29:31 the sad with Asami is that she is too nice, thats why she is suspicious in the first impression, like, no one is nice like her, always have something. That, and her "bad girl style" but Assami is different ;)
Amon is such a cool villian that he still gives me chills to this day even after watching the first season numerous times. Like he’s insane
Amon is such a good villain imo
Plus he has the sexiest voice ever.
He could have used a bit more time to cook but that wasn't the writers fault. All the baddies (minus one) were phenomenal.
@@matthewpopow6647which one is that minus one
@@macz116probably Unalaq
@@njivwathomassilavwe2056I like how the show in S4 is aware how boring Unalaq is lol
Original Korra was supposed to be 1 season but after korra did well that's when Nickelodeon Greenlit 2 than 3 and 4 incense it was on the inconsistent schedule for how much they had to work
The writers wanted to do more during season 1 but nick told them one season
That’s why season 1 ending was a bit rushed
If you think about it, there was advanced steam power, ironclad ships, airships, and submarines at the end of the Hundred Year War. Going from that to the technology seen in Legend of Korra in about seventy years isn't at all implausible.
I know they’re probably countless episodes ahead on Patreon, but I hope that when it comes to the council of who runs Republic city, they come to the realization that not a single person on that council, the council that that makes the decisions for all of the people of Republic city, not a single representative is a non-bender.
(that would be like living in a world where women and minorities protest that they’re being systematically oppressed, and then a council of predominantly old white men tell you you’re not and proceeded to make your decisions for you.🤷🏻♀️)
…. So real life?
What do you mean! XD
You've got Kamala AND Hillary!
They're always there for you!
real. I never actually thought that much about the oppression non benders might face because I felt like it was never explicitly shown. But all these subtle details are actually creating an amazing subtext to the story.
It's better to have some than none.
@@somuchsoul3041 Unfortunately, the conflict between non-benders and benders is still never properly shown in this season and that weakens Amon as a villain and character. Small subtext like the council being benders isn't enough since you can't just assume they are oppressive since we also haven't seen that in the beginning of the season.
(I think that despite how far ahead you are this is still spoilers)
"I don't think her and Korra - I mean him and Korra-" what a legendary slip. the gift of prophecy.
i can’t wait to see their reaction
21:15 “This is moving incredibly quick, and not just from a bow-chicka-wow-wow perspective.”
That’s probably a feeling y’all had with this entire season. It’s because this was supposed to be a one-season mini series when it first released. The writers told what they thought would be a complete 10-episode mini story, then it got approved for further seasons and suddenly they had to shit out more story lol.
The best part of season one is here (Amon)
And the the worst part of the entire show is also here (love triangle)
100%
You are taking the love triangle way too seriously, it’s there for fun, silliness and jokes. “Do you like him, or do you liiikkee him?”
@@RLucas3000its taken seriously by the show itself unfortunately. If they just removed the triangle it would be even more enjoyable of a season
The love triangle is great, don’t know why everyone gets in a twist about it. It’s hilarious, it shows a lot about the characters, it covers completely different ground than TLA in how these are teenagers trying to live normal lives, it’s just great.
I mean, if the show “treats it seriously” why is it so funny? The audience isn’t supposed to sit there like “Oh, riveting drama”, they’re supposed to be entertained.
@@celestinebuendiaBecause it was a tired trope even back in 2012. Three people of different sexes can have shared conflict with each other without manufacturing some contrived love drama.
To be fair, the fire nation did invent motor, hot air balloon, and other stuff like that so...the technology didn't grew that faster than us...they have 'magic' to help them
If they would have taken the time spent on the love triangle and put it into showing why the Equalists felt oppressed, maybe giving us the backstory for Amon's Lieutenant, and giving us more reason to care about Naga/Pabu, this could've been one of the best single season's of any show I've seen.
16:27 Homing pigeons are still used, and were pretty prominent in World War I.
Its kinda tough to see since they dont use guns, but the Fire Nation was at like an 1860s level of technology, especially when including the Mechanist's inventions
A good example is how the Fire Nation uses 19th century Ironclad ships equipped with 14th century trebuchets, it's just that they haven't invented gunpowder
I think Tenzin has more of Katarra personality than Aang's.
The Shego and Asami comparison 😂
Wasn't she kind of based off of Lust from FMA?
@@smith22041 I see it
Will probably address it at some point but the biggest example of "bender oppression of non benders" currently within the story (non-spoilery) is that the ruling council is made up exclusively of benders. There is no voice for non benders in leadership of Republic City.
Amon is NOT the cabbage guy's family, but that would have been an epic twist.
16:12 The Fire Nation actually had some rather advanced stuff for the time. The tanks, for example. I'd assume the cars would simply be an advancement on that tech.
Korra is different good. I was SO hesitant to watch Korra because I literally grew up on ATLA and I just didn't want a continuation of the story to „ruin“ my nostalgia and ruin this amazing story but during lockdown one of my friends finally convinced me and I really really enjoyed Korra as well. As you said people just compare it and their expectations way too much to the original and that will for sure ruin your experience of the show in a similar way on how you talked about the One Piece Live Action (that I appreciate even more now that I've started the anime, they definitely nailed it because even tho it's different it's still the same essentially). Season 1 of Korra definitely is my favorite out of the 4 with season 2 being the weakest for me personally and 3 and 4 sharing 2nd place but it's overall a great show that has that spark of nostalgia but still manages to be its very own, innovative thing and progressing the story of ATLA in a logical way
Because of the colors of his mask and the fact that he’s voiced by Steve Blum, I can’t help but think of TFP Starscream whenever Amon talks. XP
Same, but mostly I think of Orochimaru from Naruto when it comes to Amon.
He reminds me of Emperor Belos.
Technology didn't actually escalate that much. During The Last Airbender, the Fire Nation already had an industrial economy. If you look at the things the Fire Nation had, they were in the 1840s to 1860s, tech-wise. Korra takes place 60 to 80 years after ATLA, which, in the real world, would be 1900s to 1940s.
Even in the real world, in 1860, only Western Europe was industrialized and the rest of the world looked pretty much like it's looked 200 years prior.
Who ever said you have to be a bender to enter the spirit world? That’s never been stated
In fact, Sokka has literally been to the spirit world when he and the villagers were kidnapped by the panda spirit.
@@TheLyokoWarriorstbf he was snatched there by a spirit. I think the assumption was that only a bender can get themselves there which also is kind of a wild claim but makes a bit more sense. It's not like normal folk can just get there at the current point besides rare circumstances like iroh and just dying and ending up there.
Normal people can’t go to the spirit world nor can regular benders at least not without a bridge of some sort like the panda that took sokka. The avatar is the link between the spirit and real world which is why he can go in and out as he pleases.
@@tbnacey5844iroh did too apparently
@@spazzout1k350 he could see things from the spirit world and I think they said he’s been there but it wasn’t stated how. Me personally I believe something took him there like in the case with sokka.
btw, the technology gap between ATLA and TLOK, is roughly consistent with 1850s to 1920s
23:40sokka and the villagers in atla in the episode that they got taken by the Hai Bai *(idk how to spell it)* panda spirit. Anyone, benders, non benders, animals, anyone can go into the spirit realm in some way.
“But he’s not wrong though,” is going to be a common theme with the villains in this series. LoK has more reasonable villains than any other animated series.
I love that you guys overthink things. Like all these ideas and concepts hha
If you want to know about the arrows on certain Airbenders. The arrows means that they have mastered Airbending which is why you see Aang or Tenzin with one. Aang was the youngest Airbender. But there is comic's that tie in between Aang and Korra. And honestly I'm surprised you guys haven't figured out Naga's name..Naga Aang.
Amon really said "you think I'm stupid I'm not going to come here alone, fuck honor I'm trying to do something here" and regardless of his motives and what his political movement was trying to do, he's right, like if I'm the leader of some sort of revolution and the dictator says "1v1 me pussy" I'm 100% pulling up with the hommies
16:19 actually, based on the tech available in ATLA and comparing against the real world, the pacing of tech development is remarkably similar.
The way they say Amon’s name reminds me of A-A-RON but instead it’s A-A-MON 😂😂😂
The only actual issues with legend of korra come from nickelodeon actively sabotaging it
That, and SOME of the relationship drama. Some of it works, some of it doesn't.
I forget, why did they sabotage it?
@@colt1903From what I’ve read online, it’s mostly due to Nickelodeon fucking up the show’s marketing and tv schedule, so the show’s rating wasn’t as good as Last Airbender and it caused Korra to get pulled from the air mid-season 3 and season 4 was released entirely online :(
I think the most infamous example was the show getting a budget cut somewhere in season 3 or 4, forcing one recap episode to be essentially a replay of clips because the show’s creators didn’t want to cut down on staff
@@midnightmorpher9066 don't forget they first told them they had 1 seasons, so they wrote season 1 to be self contained and only then were told to make 3 more, so 2 is in this awkward position of trying to come after, before they get back into a long form stride with s3+4. Plus before getting pulled completely didn't they shift the timeslot around a bit?
@@willowarkan2263 yyyyyyep. Basically gave them time slots where kids can barely watch them, if at all.
I'm so glad that you guys are watching this with an open mind and letting it be KORRA'S story and not the continuation of Aang's story! So excited for you guys who read about the other Avatar's in the comics because you start to appreciate each and single one for who they were with their virtues and flaws like every human being has the right to have! It's like who knew Zuko would end up being the Vegeta of Avatar, the last Airbender!
"I didn't say that I wouldn't, I just said that she's probably evil."
I’m so glad you’re loving it already, because I love this show too, and I’m glad you finished it and know how amazing it is! Can’t wait to see it all!
22:51 Plot twist, he IS Amon
6:17 That's Batman's exact backstory
33:26 "she is not like Toph at all" errr... she literally is
Best Girl Asami just crashed into the scene.
Paused at 37:43, just want to say, Ruff I know exactly what you’re talking about with the “female villain look” that a ton of characters had around the time, and still do in some respects.
Them: hay maybe thay are setting up a love triangle
Me: you have no idea.
Fun fact (if nobody's shared it yet), the voice actor of Korra is also the voice of Keyleth's mom in Vox Machina. Marisha had said that Keyleth was inspired by Avatar.
“U can’t go to the spirit world if not a bender “ umm sokka and other people got taken there xD
I wouldn't say tech has moved faster than ours I mean people tend to forget that the fire nation was industrial age and after the war ended I think we can assume they shared tech and stuff exploded from there. Also we can assume they have been in the industrial age for a while in atla because they show the steam ships when they talk about the war starting 100 years prior to the start of atla. So I'd say during the time of peace they moved into the machine age (and actually considering they made moving tanks and airships/blimps one could argue that in the show they were already progressing into the machine age) and during this time tech and everything exploded. (things may have moved a bit faster in korra but not by much given how fast tech progressed in our time as well.)
I would say is definitely one of the strongest villains in the Avatar verse and could take almost anybody else except the Avatar in the Avatar State. The only reason Korra defeated him is by exposing him so he ran away and his brother killed both of them.
39:26 I think eues are by nation/bending. So he's a firebender
I just realixed that Lightning Bolt Zolt had the EXACT same reaction to his bending being taken as Ozai did. The failed bending punch, then a "wha- what did you do to me?"
I am just so hyped to see how you guys handle the season! Love how you're enjoying ti so far!
War forces progress.
The fire nation was technologically advanced. Republic city had like almost 200 years of unique advancement.
Everyone says they advanced fast, I don't think they did. Think about it. At the end of the 100 year war they had tanks and blimps, and ships. That's pretty much like WW1 and now we are in a kind of steam punk 30s in real life that was only a 20-30 year difference. In the show it's 70years
Legend of Korra is so good. I could gush so much about it but I will excitedly wait.
The discussions are great witht these episodes. Also "i understand your dirt poor."
The bending/non bending is obviously a commentary on racial relations, but I think of it in the same way as gun rights to an extent. You have a specific set of people with the ability to cause physical harm to others with relative ease and you have a group that does not have this innate ability to defend themselves. That latter group has to learn specific weapons or hand to hand combat to stand a chance, and they can, but it takes work compared to a guy that can shoot fire at his whim.
This would be like determining when you are born if you have the right to own a gun or not. And this was actually a part of why the second amendment was put in place. Monarchies could pick and choose who had access to guns, and as such only people who were loyal to the monarchy had any, thus depriving others of the ability to defend themselves.
Obviously in this world it's much more nuanced than that because these are literally innate abilities that are more or less the result of luck. But I really appreciate this show taking a look at it
Lowkey I wish this season was two seasons. It would’ve been so cool so see the stakes heightened as Amon got more and more power
27:31 I would only do that if it was something like you saying a child is hot or a ship between an abuser and/or a child with an adult
Can't wait for these episodes! I hope y'all have a positive reaction and don't compare this to avatar the last airbender
I like how in these episodes, they accused two people of being a villain, and they twist expectations and make them good dudes (or in tarloks case, an ok dude)
26:32 did boom just predict asami and korra.....
Geez, I forgot how much I love Steve Blum as Amon. I forgot how much I love Amon in general. God, I wish these seasons were longer, or that they didn't need to worry about whether there'd be a next season as they were making the episodes.
"If you get butthurt about somebody jokingly shipping a character, even seriously shipping a character in a fictional story - a cartoon - go to therapy."
I think you just became my favorite reaction channel.
Asami best avatar girl hands down
My take on shipping people in Korra: You are sailing on stormy seas.
The fact mistrusting of Asami really shows how the world has hurt your faith in others
It doesn't help her design is based on Lust from Full Metal Alchemist, who was a villain in that story.
Kora suffered from people blinded by nostalgia kora by its self is really good. Theres only a few issues i personally have with it but over àll its pretty good.
Most people who hate it hate it because shes not aang
7:50 “the future is NOW, old man!”
7:30 Non-bending jobs, like accountants
Fun facts:
*Amon is voiced by Steve Blum, famous for roles such as Cowboy Bebop's Spike Spiegel, Ben 10's Vilgax and Toonami's TOM. He also voices a minor character in Book 4.
*Asami is voiced by Seychelle Gabriel, who played Yue in The Last Airbender movie and originally auditioned to be Katara (LA) and Korra (TLOK) respectively. Asami is also her first VA role.
*Tarrlok is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, famous for his animal roles such as Appa, Momo, Oogi, Pabu & Naga in the Avatar series.
*Hiroshi Sato is voiced by Daniel Dae Kim, who voiced General Fong in ATLA & who'll play Ozai in the upcoming live action ATLA.
*The Revelation fliers that reveal the rally's location were inspired by Bryan's participation in rave cultures while in university.
*Originally Hasook (the Fire Ferret's last Waterbender) was going to be captured by Amon's henchmen, with the brothers & Korra going to save him. Bolin later replaced him in the story.
*Amon's evasive maneuvers against Lightning Bolt Zolt resemble the weaving patterns of the Camelephant strut which Aaang performed in The Headband.
*The scene where Mako gets hit by Asami's moped mimics similar scenes found in FLCL, one of Bryan and Mike's biggest inspirations for ATLA. Similarly, Mako's appearance when he's getting dressed up for his date with Asami is similar to Roger Smith from Big-O.
*The scene with Korra firebending at chi-blockers on Aang Memorial Island in The Voice in the Night (which is also a book title used by William Hope Hodgson in 1907 & is also similar to a Metal Gear song) was based on an unused ATLA concept. In it, Aang & Zuko would've fought in complete darkness, with the characters & surroundings only being lit up by Zuko's firebending.
*Korra's concept art can be seen on the banners during Tarrlok's party.
*Korra & Mako's bickering & tension in E3 deliberately harken back to romantic relationships found in 1940s era films.
*E4 had the second highest number of views for Book 1 at 4.08M.
You underestimate how technology can progress. In Avatar it was just the southern water Tribe that was just a little 'tribe' separated from everyone. The North had a huge city, and the Earth kingdom had lots of towns and the Fire Nation was the most advanced. The Last Airbender started with having Fire Nation Tanks in Season 1 and ending in Zepplins at the end of the show. 70 years after that and I can see them toning down the tanks and making them cars instead, and eventually developing Radio over the seven decades of progress.
I heard that nations with a higher spirituality have a higher percentage of bender. The earth kingdom has the lowest percentage while airbenders are almost all benders because of how spiritual they are.
honestly knowing as a highschooler how quick it is for most of us to just meet someone and explain circumstances over free food, I 100% AGREE with how Mako has been reacting to Asami and her family. He and his brother have lived in poverty with him having to be a parent for Bolin before he reached double digits. He had to struggle, fight, and work for years and suddenly some hot lady his age wants to help with a crap ton of money??? At that point even I wouldn't care I'll take that deal
There was a theory that because Tai Lee joined the Kyoshi warriors at the end of ATLA, that combination of chi blocking and non-bending warriors started the longterm future empowerment of non-benders to confront benders, eventually leading to this non-bending group using chi blocking against benders. Its assumed Tai Lee may have also been the first Kyoshi warrior to not be native to the earth kingdom, symbolizing the unity of the nations but also the separation between bedners and non-benders.
Lol you guys are not wrong, Asami was supposed to be a traitor but the writers changed it later on so she just seems really suspicious.
I love how Korra is way more of a jock than Aang ever was, and she got baited with the classic "what are you, chicken?"
Aang had his immature moments like any kid, but he was taught some wisdom since young age thanks to living with and as a monk.
Meanwhile Korra has defined her entire identity by being powerful.
I couldn't comment on the first Korra reaction video, but one of you pointed out that Republic City looks like 1920s New York City. You're not wrong! Recently, the creators of the show said that they modeled Republic City to look like a combination of 1920s New York City and Shanghai!
All the cop shade in these Korra reaction videos is based af
Its neat. The last airbender was about breaking a state, and this one’s more on the corruption of building a new one
I mean the white lotus literally built a vatican city for the avatar